


Project Shakespeare

by NotoriousReign



Category: Degrassi: Next Class
Genre: Background Relationships, Enemies to Friends, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27070474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotoriousReign/pseuds/NotoriousReign
Summary: Frankie thinks the perfect way to finally get her girlfriend to open up to her friends, is to do so through a school project. Frankie is smarter than you know.
Relationships: Deon "Tiny" Bell/Shay Powers, Frankie Hollingsworth/Esme Song, Miles Hollingsworth III/Lola Pacini
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8
Collections: Mola Hope Universe





	Project Shakespeare

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Latching Onto You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25497862) by [eeveepacini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/eeveepacini/pseuds/eeveepacini), [molaspacini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/molaspacini/pseuds/molaspacini). 



> Ever since writing that Esme's Defence fic I rewatched the actual episode and realized Esme was the one who first started egging Shay on. So I decided to kinda remedy that mistake with this fic. But I also wanted to continue defending her a little, because that's just my brand. 
> 
> As usual, set in the universe where Hope Hollingsworth exists and it's also a prompt from a friend where Lola and Esme get to bond. Apologies in advance for the "fairies" joke, I've watched Four Brothers way too many times. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

The first project Frankie enjoyed completing during the beginning of her last year at Degrassi was about a presentation that told the class her biggest challenge. And that challenge was being a teenage aunt.

Of course, it’s nothing compared to actually being the teen _mom_ , but even Lola understood that her perspective had some value too. By the end of it, Frankie hoped she hadn’t sounded _too_ whiny. She sat at the desk that was right in between her two best friends and new _girl_ friend, and was met with sniffles.

“Frankie, that was so sweet.” Lola somehow had taken out a pink handkerchief that matched her hair. “I always knew you’d make the best aunt.”

She didn’t know about _that_ , but far be it for Frankie to shoot down a compliment.

“Here I thought you’d say dating _me_ was your biggest challenge.”

She turned to Esme, and yes this girl with her signature black braid was her girlfriend. It was a pretty new thing to most of them, least of all Frankie, but over the months she had learned to stop caring what people thought. Especially during their last year of high school. And she’d be stupid not to admit to herself that it was Esme’s doing that brought about this feeling of calm, at least a little bit.

Before Frankie could reassure her, Shay spoke from next to Lola’s other side.

“I know, me too.”

There was a note of sarcasm and even friendly camaraderie in it, as if Shay was obviously just joking.

Esme did not realize this.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Guys.” Frankie quickly found her voice. “Let’s not.”

Quiet descended upon them again, the air tense now. So much for that moment. Frankie tried to stifle a sigh and was grateful for the fact that their teacher started speaking up.

He now held in his hands a stack of papers and littered them carefully across the empty desk that had prior been used for everyone’s presentations. If senior year was one thing, it wasn’t meant for relaxation. Already another project was being assigned.

This time Frankie did sigh, but then so did everyone else.

“For your next assignment, in groups of three or four, pick two Shakespeare plays and compare them. Full description of the assignment is right next to the syllabus.” Mr. Mitchell started off and stopped by his desk. “Once you’ve made your group, one of you come up and get the assignment. I want you to spend the rest of the day brainstorming.”

The room was abuzz in an instant and Frankie felt it fluttering excitedly in her stomach. Groups of three or four? This was perfect.

Before any of them could say anything again, she stood. Was probably the first to do so, all eyes on her, but she smiled knowingly.

“I’ll get the assignment.”

“But what about me? Who’ll I group with?” Esme’s eyes were wide, accusatory.

Frankie only grinned down, flicking the end of her braid. “Don’t be silly. It’s gonna be the four of us.”

She pointedly ignored the glance Lola and Shay exchanged with each other and hopped down the aisle. As she retrieved the slips of papers that would be their assignment, grabbing copies of _four_ just to make sure, more people had formed their groups and were crowding themselves around her. By the time she returned to her friends and girlfriend, the air was still tense.

She stopped, shuffling the assignment in order before handing everyone their copies. Then she shoved her desk, close to the back of the class.

“Well?” She waited, expectantly. “Come on, let’s push the desks together.”

Reluctantly, Shay and Lola did it. Frankie helped Esme move her stuff and they sat in a small semi-circle together. Frankie was somehow in the middle, not accustomed to being the centre of attention. (That never really worked out in her favour.)

“Frankie, are you sure?” Shay asked tentatively. Her eyes were on the papers, scouring over the syllabus, but all of them knew exactly what she was referring to. “I mean...”

At that, Esme’s voice cut through. Sharp and loud enough for the whole damn world to hear. “I thought we established that I get the same grades as you, hm?”

“You’re not exactly supposed to be in our graduating class though are you?” Shay cut back dryly.

Frankie took a deep breath, saw the way the wide dark eyes of her girlfriend’s turned icy and sharp. Lately they hadn’t all been able to hang out together because it always felt like a fight was bound to happen. Frankie loved all of them, but she hated that she had to tiptoe so much.

“ _Guys_. Come on… I was the one who didn’t have a boyfriend during that sleepover remember?” Lola tried to interrupt, cheery.

She fixed her gaze with Frankie knowingly and the two couldn’t help grinning. The year had been a hell of a whirlwind since that sleepover, since Frankie’s own brother had a baby with one of Frankie’s best friends. None of them would change that for the world, all (yes even Esme, yes even Shay) loved Hope with all their hearts, but _boy_ did the initial shock take some time to wear off.

And Esme, of course, knew this.

“Yeah remind me, who has a kid here? And who’s the one everyone still calls _easy_?”

Maybe it was the fact that she had a niece now, maybe it was the fact that Frankie didn’t want to spend the rest of senior year mediating between her friends and partner, but for the first time since ever, she had enough. 

Shay was already starting to stand, but Frankie gripped her arm back down.

“Stop it.”

Esme was the one who turned an innocent gaze towards her. “What?”

“You didn’t need to make Shay worry about Tiny at that party. You didn’t need to shame her for not being ready for sex. And I would really appreciate it if you'd stop doing that now too." 

A long pause ensued, all of them grateful that everyone's voices in the classroom overlapped each other, English the only topic to their peers. A part of Frankie knew some eavesdropping _must_ be happening in some sense, but better here than the cafeteria.

Esme couldn’t stop staring at her. Frankie stared back. She raised her eyebrows until Esme dropped her gaze.

“Fine. You’re right. I guess.”

Frankie turned then to Shay, who had comfortably leaned back on her chair again. There was surprise and still some worry in her, especially when the intense gaze met hers. A little softer though, as if Shay was the one who needed to be babied more. Frankie could tell even Lola was confused next to them.

“And can I ask you something? Did Tiny ever tell you about the girls Zig has been with? Because Esme told me.”

Shay slowly nodded. “Yeah… I mean, he was just joking. We weren’t _gossiping_ or anything.”

“Esme said he had two serious girlfriends who he cheated on. Tori and Maya. Is that what Tiny said?”

Another knowing nod. Esme hadn’t been lying to her.

“Esme’s been with Miles and Zig and now she’s with me. And compared to Zig, she’s never cheated on any of them, or on me. So why does everybody consider _her_ easy and never do with Zig? For fooling around? With the _same guys_? Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?”

It didn’t even sound weird mentioning her brother, since Lola was sitting right there. And Lola was also the first to speak, bright eyes staring ahead thoughtfully. She was the first to turn to Shay.

“She’s right.”

“Yeah… Yeah you are.” Shay nodded, a little bashful.

Frankie felt as if some of that awful tension had finally fizzled out. Sure, it was still a bit awkward, but suddenly she didn’t have that looming fear that any of them would start clawing at each other, which was a start.

She pulled up the papers that somehow had scattered on her desk and sighed happily.

“So. What plays should we do?”

“Why don’t you pick Franks?” Shay offered.

At the long silence, they all burst into laughter. Senior year had been spent with Frankie and Lola constantly asking Shay help over how to read these stupid Shakespeare plays. Shay and often Esme with Frankie were credited as the reason why they could probably pass this section of English. Couldn’t they have just used those modern English translations? It was so exhausting.

“I like Othello.” Esme piped up, twirling a finger through a strand that had escaped her braid. “What about you Shay?”

Shay only smirked and a spark passed between them. It took Frankie a second to remember why.

“I still need to read that one.” Lola muttered, scribbling quickly.

“Me too.” Frankie agreed.

“I really do like it though, I’m not trying to start anything.” Esme paused, thoughtful. “I think we should do something like compare one of Shakespeare’s tragedies with one of his comedies. See why the characters are so different, what changes in the motifs.”

“That’s a good idea.” Shay nodded, even more of the tension petering away. She bit her lip, thinking. “But what comedy should we do? And don’t say Twelfth Night, like I need to see She’s The Man _again_.”

Lola giggled, the culprit behind that particular annoyance. Then she gasped, grabbing Frankie and Shay’s hands excitedly. “Midsummer! Please _please_! With the fairies? _Please_ , we have to do that one. I can dress up!”

The rest of them agreed, giggling at her excitement, which didn’t end once she started clapping.

But Frankie had one more trick up her sleeve.

“How about this? Me and Shay, we work on some stuff for Othello together this weekend after your tryouts? And you two--” She pointed right at Lola and Esme, “--you can work on Midsummer’s together at the same time.”

Esme rolled her eyes, a smirk starting to tickle at her lips. “You want me to work on the fairy play?”

“I mean… we’re kinda more fairies here than Lola is, right?”

At that ridiculous semi dad-joke, all of them burst into laughter once more.

* * *

Lola knew she had to try and make this work for Frankie. After having a baby, talking to and interacting with Esme had suddenly become the easiest thing in the world.

Well, not always. She had to admit that it was a little alarming to have Frankie partner them to study her favourite Shakespeare play (listen anything with fairies in it was her favourite), especially considering how borderline _aggressive_ she’d been about it. Since when was Frankie like this? So eager to take initiative.

They agreed to do it at Lola’s house while Shay and Frankie were alone. And the day started out bad by starting at 4am.

Hope woke Lola without a fever, without a bathroom break, without wanting to be fed. She just wanted to wail away, wanted attention. Maybe she had a bad dream, apparently babies started developing those after the six-month mark. Regardless, she wouldn’t sleep again until 11am and by 3 in the afternoon, Lola was too exhausted to remember her schoolwork

She walked through toys strewn across the small Pacini living room in a daze, some excess food from Hope’s earlier lunch still on her, and blinked at the low sun from outside when she answered the door to Esme.

“Ay dios mio, it’s 3 already?” She smacked a hand to her forehead and then at Esme’s raised eyebrows, ushered her in. “Come in, go get set up on the dining room. Lemme just get my stuff, I’ll be right there.”

Lola hurried around the house, letting Hope bounce away in her swing, reach out with wide greedy eyes at a toy too far away to touch. The house was small and she could hear cooing and baby giggles even from her room on the second floor, and by the time Lola had changed into a new pink dress and grabbed her school supplies, her heart had steadied significantly.

She knew Frankie would eventually want her to spend some time alone with her girlfriend. She should’ve prepared, but it was hard for her not to assume the worst. Esme was probably huffing away, tapping perfectly manicured nails on the play she had already finished reading twice back-to-back. Lola had to brace herself for a cutting remark.

What she got instead was a big softie.

Esme was pulling Hope gently out of her swing and the strangest sound in the world came out of her throat. Lola recognized it.

Baby speak.

“ _Ooh_ aren’t you the cutest! Do you remember me? Your auntie’s girlfriend? _Ooh_ woo-jee-woo-jee-woo!”

“What’s this!”

Esme turned as Lola approached with fists curled to her hips. She rolled her eyes, scoffing.

“Oh don’t be so surprised.”

“I assume you want her to join us then?” Lola noted that Esme’s designer bag and coat had been forgotten by the couch. So schoolwork _hadn’t_ already been placed around the dining room table after all.

Esme held the baby close and Lola couldn’t help grinning when Hope gurgled happily in response. “Don’t tell Frankie this, but I’m a sucker for babies. I mean it, _don’t_ tell her.”

“Do you ever see yourself being a mom?”

Both of them paused, holding their breath a little. Esme pulled Hope a little away from her, studying the baby affectionately.

“Not right now. But with Frankie? Maybe someday.”

It was all Lola could think about as she set the dining room table up and they started their work with Hope on Esme’s lap. The shock that Lola was the one pulling out their Shakespeare plays, showing off underlined words she didn’t understand, while Esme distractedly doted over a baby, was hard to overcome. It took some time, but eventually a rhythm in their studying was agreed upon and some plans for the presentation were formulated.

“I just think it’d be a cool idea for me, Frankie, and Shay to compare ourselves to Emilia and Desdemona from Othello, and Helena from Midsummer's. We’re all women figuring out agency in the institution of marriage and courting, but there’s a big difference in the comedy and tragedy.” Esme fiddled with a curl on Hope’s head, who was now sleeping snuggly on her lap. Somehow she still hadn’t managed to want to let her go, looking up at Lola. “You can be Titania, narrating this all while we do a little skit.” Another pause. “Is that a totally lame idea?”

Lola perked up. “No, I like it! Hey… What if we brought Hope in too?” At Esme’s intrigued grin she continued on. “You know, like how Titania has those fairy servants? We can pretend she’s Peaceblossom and I’m narrating to _her_ more than I’m narrating to the class. It’ll help with the nerves too.”

Esme nodded thoughtfully. There was something fond and desperate in the way she wanted to be near Hope that whole afternoon. “And I can see her again.”

“You can see her whenever you want, Esme.” Lola reached out, touched her hand. It was shaking slightly. “Frankie’s been a big help since I had her. I know she’d love it if you two bonded too.”

“Did she… ever tell you about my mom?”

Lola furrowed her eyebrows, confused. “No. Why?”

Now it was quickly Esme’s turn to be confused. “Really?”

“Frankie doesn’t gossip about your home life. She’s constantly showing us pictures of you two hanging out.” Lola scrunched her nose, teasingly. “She’s worse than me and Miles.”

“Oh, yeah _right_.” Esme laughed, but a blush was creeping up her neck.

“My mom’s never been in the picture either.” Lola proceeded to confess, letting go of Esme’s hand and observing her own chipped nails. She had to get them fixed up again at the salon _asap_. “Only now that she found out about the baby, she felt the need to suddenly butt her head back in.”

Lola scoffed, Esme said it, “Figures.”

They sat together awkwardly, but it was nice. Bonding with someone who had finally gotten the help she needed, both of them finally finding the _person_ they needed. Miles and Frankie. Of all the people to do this, it had to be two Hollingsworths.

“Finding Maya on the roof reminded me of my mom.” Esme blurted out. She shivered, something dark passing through her. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” A hard and gross lump lurched in Lola’s stomach and she swallowed. “It’s a lot, but it’s okay.”

“Did you ever think about abandoning… this one?”

She sighed at the dark-haired girl nodding down towards her curly-haired daughter and wanted desperately to lie, to play it safe. But safe wasn’t something they did in Lola’s world anymore. And that was also okay.

“When I first got pregnant, when I had her and it was _so painful_. Just this morning actually.” Lola scoffed, she couldn’t keep her eyes off Hope. “But it’s never anything more than like, this passing idea. It gets more and more baffling every time I think it, ya know? Like I just realize I’m being ridiculous each time. I’d never do what our parents did.”

“My dad might as well be gone too.”

Lola looked up. “You’re welcome to come and babysit or just spend time here whenever. I’ll be a better mom than that, I can show you.”

“Maybe me and Frankie will be too.”

She tilted her head and waited until Esme met her sad gaze with Lola’s quizzical one. Intense and serious and... loving. 

“You will. Someday. Leave that stuff to me right now though, okay?”

“Okay.”

They finished their notes and ideas for the presentation with Lola feeling much warmer inside than she had ever expected. Good for Frankie and Esme, finding each other after all. And good for all of them for coming up with a great project so easily in the beginning.

Maybe Frankie's sudden intensity wasn't so bad after all. 

* * *

Esme’s thoughts sometimes clicked in as if written into a play.

_Fade in_.

She walks in from stage right. She faces the audience. She rehearses and rehearses and rehearses her lines and then she performs them. Sometimes she gets no response, sometimes she gets a shocked one that makes her feel sharp and tingly inside.

That used to entice her. But after awhile anger and disgust weren't always the responses she should want.

So she performed the skit, she felt her heart swell at the sight of baby Hope in an oversized toga, and it didn’t feel odd or stupid participating in something that didn’t just involve making only Frankie happy. Well at least this _did_ made her happy too.

Afterwards, Mr. Mitchell complimented them fondly on their work and they didn’t get as many weird stares from the rest of the class as they'd been accustomed since the start of the year. Esme’s play, rehearsed in her head, didn’t need to rewind as often as before. She walked down the hall with Frankie’s arm slung through her own and plans were made for a movie night.

“We need to celebrate.” Frankie, rosy-cheeked and a little bit beautiful in her toga costume, spoke now while she rifled excitedly through her locker. _Their_ locker lately. “I’ll convince my mom to let us have some champagne.”

Esme scoffed, rolling her eyes and smiling. “Always the dramatic one. It was just a school project.”

“Our _best_ one though. I wanna frame this script. Hey!” Frankie stopped, doe eyes wide. “Did you hear what Mitchell said? He thinks we’d make great writers for Drama club!”

Esme shrugged, but didn't entirely brush off the idea. “Maybe.”

She watched then as Shay and Tiny met up down the hall, near the main entrance’s auditorium. He didn’t go to Degrassi anymore, was studying in college, but he visited Shay almost every other day. Esme would poke their buttons and act revolted if it weren’t for the fact that she and Frankie and Frankie’s brother with Lola could be just as gross. 

“Hey… I wanna talk to Shay. Is that okay?”

Frankie followed her gaze and relaxed a little. She gave a curt little nod and Esme pushed herself off the lockers, approaching Shay.

Walk in from stage left. Approach the audience.

The happy couple dropped their conversation the second Esme walked up and she playfully nudged Shay’s shoulder.

“We didn’t do too bad huh? Maybe we should team up more often, keep an eye on those two bubbleheads?”

Esme nudged her head towards Frankie and Lola, the latter holding a baby sucking at her own fingers. They were oohing and aahing all over each other for what was probably the fifteenth time that day. Just a bunch of clucking hens.

It was kind of adorable. When Esme turned back to Shay and Tiny they were both smirking.

“Looks like you guys had fun together.” Tiny interjected playfully. “Were cupcakes involved again?”

At Shay’s sharp glare his smile dropped in alarm.

“Don’t.”

“I was just--”

“We’re cool, okay? Those jokes aren’t necessary.”

Tiny’s jaw worked away on its own, he tried to figure out what to say. But then he just shut his mouth and nodded, appeasing. He turned to Esme again and gave her a quick sheepish grin. Friendly and awkward all in one, but not entirely terrible. 

“That’s good, I’ll see you around Esme.” He lifted his hand and the two fist-bumped. Esme felt as if her arm wasn’t her own, still stuck in that play. When he turned back to Shay, a knowing glint was in his eye. “But I’m still here to see _you_.”

Shay smiled broadly, blushing. She looked down and nudged him. “Go wait outside.”

Tiny picked her on the cheek and disappeared back out the door, soon standing noticeably nearby. 

Shay and Esme then turned to each other, awkward again. But not tense. Not anymore. Almost as if that had all washed away during their presentation.

Now Esme knew that she had to be the bigger person, for Frankie, for her own mental health. She had to stop walking around thinking she was in a play, take what her therapist said seriously. Whether her dad cared or not. Because she had someone who _did_ care and that someone had made sure to hear everyone’s sides.

And it included having Lola and Shay on her side too. 

“I’m sorry I called you a prude.”

Shay shrugged, embarrassed. “I’m sorry I called you easy.”

“Frankie really loves us both, huh?”

They both watched the two girls once more and smiled when they finally saw Frankie and Lola watching back. Grinning back. Oddly enough, so was Hope. The hallway had thinned out and they could hear the baby shriek, reach out her hand towards them.

Esme turned, lifted her hand towards Shay one final time. They fist-bumped. Not pals, but… getting there.

Shakespeare really did know a thing or two about human emotion.

* * *


End file.
